Machine with taping and tape-cutting arrangement for transporting sheets such as veneer sheets



April 28, 1959 Z 2,884,030

v MACHINE WITH TAPING AND TAPE-CUTTING ARRANGEMENT FOR TRANSPORTING SHEETS SUCH AS VENEER SHEETS Filed April 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g a r I W p I WVE IV 70 HM; 1 A1 mam 5. @454 M.

A. FRIZ 2,884,030 MACHINE WITH TAPING AND TAPE-CUTTING ARRANGEMENT FOR April 28, 1959 TRANSPORTING SHEETS SUCH AS VENEER SHEETS Filed April 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ln l E lll'o kr l 0 min United States Patent MACHINE WITH TAPING AND TAPE-CUTTING ARRANGEMENT FDR TRANSPORTING SHEETS SUCH AS- VENEER SHEETS Adolf Friz, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany Application'April 15, 1957, Serial No. 652,904

Claimspriority, applicatiomGermany'April 17, 1956:-

10. Claims. (Cl, 144-.Z)'

The present invention relates to machines for, joining together successive pairs of'sheets" which move in succession. along a predetermined path;

For example, the present invention may be used in machines which join together veneer sheets.

in machines of'this type-it is customary to arrange the successivepairs-of' sheets in sideby side relation and to join them to each otherby a strip of paper or the like glued tothe successive pairs of sheets and extending over-the lateral joint between the sheets of each pair.

strip 'of' paper or the-like is cut between the successive pairs of sheetssoas to separate the pairs of sheets from each other;

In certain types of machines used for the above purposesthe joining strip isfed continuously so that in the;

event that the pairs of sheets which are joined by the joining strip are not continuously transported too much of the joining strip will be used. On the other hand, ifin machines of the above type the pairs of successive sheets move very closely upon each other through the machine then it may happen that the cutting device will engage the sheets themselves rather than the joining strip at a part of the latter extending between two pairs of'successive sheets, and if this happens the entire operation is interrupted. It should also be noted that there are certain types of machines which feed the joining strip only simultaneously with the movement of the pairs of successive sheets which are joined thereby, and with a machine of'this type if the successive pairs of sheets are arranged too close to each other the blade which cuts the. strip between the-successive pairs of sheets may also undesirably engage the sheets themselves.

For all of these reasons an operator of a machine of the-above type must exercise a considerable amount of skill in order to avoid the above disadvantages, and furthermore the result is that machines of the above type are operated at less than their maximum speed so'that the output obtained from these machines is not asgreat as might be the case if an operator did not have to exercisegreat care to avoid disadvantages of the type referred to above.

One of the objects of thepresent invention is to provide'a machine of the above type which will automatically maintain the successive pairs of sheets at a proper distance from each other.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a. machine which will not cause an excessive amount of the. joining strip to be used and which will at the same time guarantee that the successive pairs of sheets do not follow too closelyupon each other.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the above type which will automatically maintain the proper distance between pairs of successive sheets and will automatically join the sheets together by a joining strip of the type referred to above while maintaining the joining strip taut between the successive pairs. of sheets, so that a faultless automatic operation takes place.-

left. tween the right and left ends of the table 1, as viewed" pairs of" veneer sheets, arrangedin, side by side relation...

and a joining strip joined to. eaclipair. of. sheets. for con-, necting the same together and extending from. one. pair; of sheets to the next pair of sheets.- This machijnefinr cludes a first transport toll, means for transporting the. sheets and strip along. the above-mentioned predetermined path. A =second transport roll means, located 136.- hind this first roll means along this path for continuing the transportation of the sheetsv and strip along the path, beyond the first roll means. Athird transportrollmeans, is located 'behind the second transport roll means along the path of movement of the sheets/and strip. for trans-' porting the sheets and the strip beyond the. secondroll means. A means cooperates with, the first, second, yand third roll means for automatically interrupting the. trans.- portation of a pair of, sheets and the strip. along their; path of movement when the trailing ed'geof this pair of sheets engages the second roll means. Untilfthe leading,

edge of the succeeding pair. of sheets, engages, thefirst,

roll means. In this way they distance between, the first, and second roll means along the path, of movement, of; the sheets and strip will determine the distance-between, the successive pairs of sheets and the length of the, strip, extending between successive pairs of's'heets.

The novel features which. are considered. as; character istic for the invention are set forth in particular in the. appended claims. The invention itself, however, bothas to its construction-and its method. of operation,ftogether with additional objects and advantages thereof; will be best understood from the following description. of, specific embodiments when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a partly diagrammatic, partly sectional side; elevational view of a machine according; to the present. invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine of the presentinvention;

' Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsectional elevational; view taken, along line 3--3 of Fig. 2" in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 4- diagrammatically shows part of the electrical;v structure as well as structure associated with the cutting, blade.

Referring to the drawings and to Fig. 1 in particular,

by a conveyor means in the form of a sprocket chain 2 having connected thereto elementswhich form a moving, surface receiving the sheets, to be worked on. The conveyor means 2 is driven by any suitable motor in such a way that its upper run, as viewed in Fig. 1, moves to the Part ofthe supporting surface for the sheets bein Fig. l, is formed by the moving surface provided by the conveyor means 2.

As is apparent from Figs. 1 and 2, a series of rolls 3-61 are arranged over the conveyor means 2; These rolls are turnably supported at the bottom ends of suitable shafts which may be bifurcated at their bottom ends to extend downwardly along opposite sides of the rolls, respectively. These shafts are supported in any suitable way, and their elevation is such that the rolls do not contact the conveyor means 2, the latter being spaced slightly beneath the rolls.

As may be seen from Fig. 2, the first pair of rolls to be engaged by a pair of sheets, respectively, are the rolls 3, 3' which are inclined with respect to each other in such a way that they push the pair of sheets together so that they abut against each other at their adjoining lateral side edges, the two sheets having the same length and being coextensive with each other with the abutment therebetween extending longitudinally along a central axis of the machine. As the two sheets are transported by cooperation of the conveyor means 2 with the pair of rolls 3 and 3' to the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, they come into engagement with another pair of mutually inclined rolls 4 and 4. It should be noted that the open ator originally places the two sheets between the rolls 3 and 3 and the conveyor means 2. The inclined rolls 4 and 4 guaranteethat the two sheets which are in side by side relation are properly in engagement with each other at their adjacent lateral side edges, and after being respectively engaged by the pair of rolls 4 and 4, the pair of sheets passes beneath a first transport roll means 5.

This first transport roll means 5 is in the form of a single roll arranged along the central longitudinal axis of the machine and having a diameter larger than the other rolls, as is evident from Figs. 1 and 2. The roll 5 is also shown clearly in Fig. 3. The roll 5 is carried at the bottom bifurcated end of a shaft 51 (Fig. 1) provided at its bottom end with a suitable bearing for the roll 5. For a purpose which is described below the roll 5 is fixed to a shaft 53 which extends laterally there from, and this shaft is turnable within a pair of aligned openings formed respectively in the bifurcations at the bottom end of the shaft 51. Fig. 3 shows a key interconnecting the roll 5 and its shaft for rotation together. The lower bifurcated end of the shaft 51 is omitted from the drawings for the sake of clarity. As is apparent from Fig. 1, the upper end of the shaft 51 is threadedly connected with a nut 52 supported so that it can rotate about its axis but cannot advance along its axis, and this nut 52 is turned in any suitable way so as to change the elevation of the shaft 51 and thus change the elevation of the roll 5, so that in this way the distance between the roll 5 and the conveyor means 2 may be regulated, the conveyor means 2 being maintained slightly spaced from the roll 5, as was mentioned above. The distance between the roll 5 and the conveyor means 2 is less than the thickness of a sheet, so that the roll 5 only starts to turn when there is a sheet between the conveyor means 2 and the roll 5, and the same is true of the rolls 3, 4 and 6 and the conveyor means 2. In other words all of the rolls 3-6 only start to turn when there is a sheet between the latter and the conveyor means 2.

A relatively narrow joining strip 14 made of paper or the like is indicated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 1, this strip 14 being drawn from a supply roll shown in dot-dash lines at the top of Fig. l and being guided along suitable guide rollers as well as devices for maintaining a desired tension in the strip 14. Thus, Fig. 1 shows the guide rollers 15 and 16, and these guide rollers serve to guide the strip 14 to the first transport roll means 5. The strip 14 extends over the joint between a pair of abutting sheets and is joined to these sheets so as to connect them together. The roll 5 in addition to transporting a pair of sheets serves to press the strip 14 against the pair of sheets so as to connect the latter together, the strip 14 being provided with any suitable adhesive. Thus, in Fig. 1 there is shown just above the guide roll 15 a bath for a suitable adhesive, and a roll which is partly submerged in this bath engages another roll which engages the strip 14 during its downward movement so that in this way the adhesive is applied to the strip 14, and when the roll 5 presses the strip against the sheets the latter are joined together by the strip 14 which thus becomes cemented to the pairs of sheets.

The path of movement of the successive pairs of sheets extends from the right to the left, as viewed in the drawings, and just behind the roll 5 along this path'of movement are located a pair of auxiliary transporting rolls 6 and 6' which form a second transport roll means. As is apparent from Figs. l-3, the transport roll means 6, 6' is displaced to the left of the transport roll means 5. This second transport roll means 6, 6' serves to transport the pair of sheets beyond the transport roll means 5.

The pairs of sheets each have such a length that while they are engaged by the second pair of transport roll means 6, 6 they are also engaged by a third transport roll means 8 located at the left end of the machine, as viewed in Figs. 1-3, and serving to discharge the pairs of joined sheets from the machine. This third transport roll means 8 is thus located behind the second transport roll means 6, 6 along the path of movement of the sheet. As is apparent from Figs. 1-3, the transport roll means 8 includes an upper roll which rests on a lower counter roll 81 (Fig. 1), and this upper roll is turnably supported by a pair of lateral arms which are pivotally carried by the machine, so that the roll 8 rests on the lower counter roll81 shown at the left of Fig. 1 until theroll 8 is raised slightly by a pair of sheets passingfbetween the rolls of the third transport roll means 8. I In accordance with the present invention the transport roll means 8 is driven by a drive means 7 extending between the first transport roll means 5 and the third transport roll means 8. Thus, as is shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the shaft 53 extending from the rolls laterally of the machine carries at its outer end a pulley 54 interconnected by a suitable belt such as the chain 7 shown in Fig. 2 with another pulley 82 fixed to a shaft which is in turn fixed to the roll 8. Where the belt is in the form of a chain, pulley 54 and 82 will of course be in the form of sprocket wheels. Thus, with the structure of the invention the third transport roll means 8 will only operate when the first transport roll means 5 operates. The size of the pulleys as well as the diameter of the roll 8 is carefully chosen so that the peripheral speed of the latter is somewhat greater than that of the rolls 5, 6, and 6', and as a result the portion of the strip 14 extending between pairs of successive sheets is maintained taut.

A suitable cutting means is arranged along the path of movement of the successive sheets and the strip 14 adjacent to the third roll means 8 between the latter and the second roll means 6, 6' in order to cut transversely across the strip 14 between successive pairs of sheets, so as to separate the sheets from each other. This cutting means includes a blade 12 similar to a guillotine supported by suitable guides for up and down sliding movement. A lever 13 is pivotally supported intermediate its ends on the machine, as is shown in Fig. 3, and the left end of the lever 13, as is viewed in Fig. 3, engages the top of the blade 12 to move the latter downwardly along its cutting stroke when the lever 13 is turned in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. As is shown in Fig. 3, a spring is operatively connected to the lever 13 to urge the latter to its rest position shown in Fig. 3, and also another spring is operatively connected to the blade 12 so as to urge the latter upwardly to its rest position shown in Fig. 3. The right end of the lever 13 is interconnected by a suitable pin and slot connection with the armature of a solenoid 11 carried by the machine. This solenoid is electrically connected with a switch 14) so as to be energized whenever the switch 10 closes, this switch 10 being shown diagrammatically in Figs. 1 and 3. The switch 10 is closed by engagement with a pair of small rollers 9 and 9' respectively'located at opposite sides of the blade 12. These rollers 9v and 9' are respectively supported rotatably by a pair of arms 91 which are fixed together in the manner shown in Fig. 3 and which are pivotally supported on the machine, so that when the arms 91 turn in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, the rollers 9 and 9 will move downwardly, while when the arms 91 turn in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, the rollers 9 and 9' will move upwardly. The arms 91 together with the rollers 9 and 9' ordinarily rest as a result of gravity in the position indicated in Fig. 3 where the rollers 9 and 9' close the switch 10. The rollers 9 and 9' are respectively located on opposite sides of the strip 14 but are respectively engaged by the pair of sheets joined by the strip.

If desired, a spring may be coiled about. the shaft 51 in the tube within which. the shaft is located and may engage a shoulder on the shaft as well as a stationary shoulder so as to urge the shaft. 51 downwardly to resiliently maintain the roll 5 in a position where it is spaced slightly above the conveyor means 2, and in this way the roll 5 will yield resiliently when it is engagedby av pair of sheets.

The above-described structure operates as follows:

A pair. of sheets which are inserted in side by side relation in the machine in the manner described above will be joined together. by having the strip 14 pressed thereagainst by the transport roll 5, the latter cooperating with the conveyor means 2 in order to transport the pair of sheets and the strip 14 to the left, as viewed in the drawings. It will be noted thatv the rotation of the roll 5 serves to draw the strip 1.4 from. its supply roll.

It. is apparent that after the trailing edge of. the pair of sheets leaves the transport roll 5, the latter will no longer transport the pair of sheets. along the machine, but as this time the second transport roll means 6, 6' will cooperate with the conveyor mens 2 in order to continue the transportation of the pair of sheets and the strip to the left, as viewed in the drawings. Before the trailing edge of. the pair of sheets has reached the rolls 6 and 6', the leading edge of the pair of sheets has moved into engagement with the third transport roll means 8. After the trailing edge of the pair of. sheets leaves the transport. roll means 5, the continued transportation of the sheets by the transport roll means 6, 6' will cause the sheets to turn the roll See a. result of frictional engagement with the latter, and during this time the roll 5 may turn for a very short period of time in a reverse direction because of the drive extending between the rolls 5 and 8, but this reverse turning ofthe roll 5 will make no differencebecause'there is no work in engagement with the roll 5 at this time, the roll 5 simply slipping with respect to the strip 14.

As soon as the trailing edge of the pair of sheets has reached the rolls 6 and 6, the transportation of. the sheets will automatically terminate. The reason for this is that at. this time the sheets are not located between the conveyor means 2 and the rolls 5, on the one hand, and 6 and 6', on the other hand, so that the laterals cannot co"- operate with the conveyor means 2 in order to transport the sheets further, and the roll 8 will be stationary because it does not receive any drive from the roll 5, the latter being turned only by frictional engagement with a pair of sheets between the conveyor means 2 and the roll 5.. Thus, it is apparent that the conveyor means 2 as well as the drive means '7 together form a means. cooperating with the first transport roll means 5, the second. transport roll means 6 and 6', and the thirdtransport' roll means 8 {for automatically interrupting the transportation of. the pair of sheets when the trailing edge thereof reaches thesecond transport roll means 6 and 6'. At this time there Will be no further transportation of the pair of. sheets even though the machine continues to be driven andv even though the conveyor means 2 runs continuously.

When the operator inserts the next pair of sheets into the. machine, the conveyor means 2 will cooperate with the rolls. 3 and 3. so. as to: startthe pair of sheets along the-machine, and when the leadingedge of this next-pain of sheets engages the transport roll means 5, the latter will start to rotate again so as to cooperate with the conveyor means 2 for feeding this next pair of sheets alongthe machine, the movement of the strip 14 also starting again at this time. As soon as the roll 5 starts to rotate, its rotation is transmitted through the drive means 7 to the roll 8, and thus the latter continues to move the first pair of sheets through the machine. In this way, the above-described structure guarantees that the space be.- tween successive pairs of sheets will be equal to the dis-- tance between the rolls 5 and 6, and this distance will also be equal to the length of the strip 14 between the pairs of successive sheets.

The pair of sheets extending between the second transport roll means 6 and 6' and the third transport roll means. 8 engage the rollers 9 and 9, respectively, so as: to maintain the same elevated, and as a result the switch 10 is open and the solenoid 11 is unenergized. However, as soon as the trailing edge of the pair of sheets has reached the rolls 9 and 9, the latter fall by gravity so as to:close the switch 10,. and thus the solenoid 11 is energized to actuate the cutting blade 12 which cuts across the strip. 14 between the pairs of successive sheets, so as to separate the latter from each other. Immediately after the strip is thus cut, the next pair. of sheets comes along and raises the rollers 9 and 9, and as soon as the third roll means 8 has discharged the pair of joined sheets from. the machine the-next pair of sheets which are still in en gagement with the rolls 6 and 6' move into engagement withthe third transport roll means 8.

Fig; 4- shows diagrammatically the structure for operating the solenoid 11 and blade 12. Referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen that when one set of sheets a has advanced to the left beyond the rolls 9 and 9' the latter drop, in the manner described above, to close the switch 10 shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4 as being operatedby alinkage which turns with the arm connected to the roll 9. Thus, the solenoid 11 will be energized, as described above, and the lever 13 will therefore turn in a counterclock wise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4 in opposition to the spring 131. At its left end, as viewed in Fig. 4, the lever 13 carries a plate 132 having rearwardly directed sides. which overlap the lever 13 and are pivotally connected therewith by the pivot pin 133. A spring 134 carried in a bore of. the lever 13 acts on the plate 132 to turn the latter in a clockwise direction about pivot 133 to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 where the plate 132 en.- gages a suitable stop.v I

The blade 12 is urged upwardly to its rest positionby the spring 121. This blade 12 fixedly carries at its topend a projection 122 located in the path of turning movement of plate 132 when the lever 13 turns upon energizing of the solenoid 11. The bottom left edge of plate 132,

as viewed in Fig. 4, describes the are 132 during turning of the lever 13, and during this turning of the lever theplate 132 cooperates with projection 122 to lower the blade 12 until it cuts the tape. At this instant the projection 122 will have reached the lower position 122' shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and it will be noted from the are 132' that at this instant the plate 132 moves not only downwardly but also to the right beyond the projection 122, so that the blade 12 is automatically released to the spring 121 to be returned to its rest position immediately after the tape is cut.

The solenoid 11 remains energized until the next pair. of sheets b raise the rolls 9 and 9', in the manner described above, to open the switch 10, and upon deenergizing of the solenoid 11 the spring 131 returns the lever 13 to the position thereof shown in Fig. 4. During the upward turning of the lever 13 the plate 132 engages the stop 122 and is turned in a counterclockwise direction around pivot 133, as viewed in Fig. 4, compressing the spring 134 at this time, and as soon as plate 132 moves upwardly out of contact with: projection 122 the spring 134. expands gssgeso to return the plate '132 to the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 4.

Thus, with the above-described structure a predetermined space between the successive pairs of sheets is automatically maintained, this distance being determined by the space between the first transport roll means and the second transport roll means 6 and 6' along the path of movement or the sheets.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of sheet joining machines difiering from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in means for joining successive pairs of sheets by a strip extending along the sheets, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. Without further analysis, the foregoing wlil so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for transporting along a predetermined path successive pairs of sheets, such as pairs of veneer sheets, arranged in side by side relation and a joining strip joined to each pair of sheets for connecting the same together and extending from one pair of sheets to the next pair of sheets, in combination, first transport roll means for transporting the sheets and strip along said path; second transport roll means located behind said first roll means along said path for continuing the transportation of the sheets and strip along said path beyond said first roll means; third transport roll means located behind said second roll means along said path for transporting the sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means; and means cooperating with said first, second, and third roll means for automatically interrupting the transportation of a pair of sheets and the strip along said path when the trailing edge of said pair of sheets engages said second roll means and until the leading edge of the succeeding pair of sheets engages said first roll means, so that the distance between said first and second roll means along said path determines the distance between successive pairs of sheets and the length of said strip extending between successive pairs of sheets.

2. In a machine for transporting along a predetermined path successive pairs of sheets, such as pairs of veneer sheets, arranged in side by side relation and a joining strip joined to each pair of sheets for connecting the same together and extending "from one pair of sheets to the next pair of sheets, in combination, first trans port roll means for transporting the sheets and strip along said path; second transport roll means located behind said first roll means along said path for continuing the transportation of the sheets and strip along said path beyond said first roll means; third transport roll means located behind said second roll means along said path for transporting the sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means; conveyor means spaced slightly from said first and second roll means for cooperating therewith to transport a pair of sheets and a strip only when a pair of sheets and a strip are located between said conveyor means and said first and second roll means, so that said first and second roll means will not transport a pair of sheets and a strip beyond said second roll means; and drive means extending from said first roll means to said third roll means for transmitting a drive from said' first'roll means to said third roll means so that said third roll means operates to transport a pair of strips and a sheet only when said conveyor means and first roll means cooperate together to transport a pair of sheets and a strip, whereby the transportation of a pair of sheets and a strip along said path will be interrupted when the trailing edge of the latter pair of sheets engages said second roll means and will be resumed when the leading edge of the next pair of sheets engages said first roll means, so that the distance along said path between said first and second roll means determines the distance between successive pairs of sheets and the length of the strip extending between successive pairs of sheets.

3. In a machine for transporting along a predetermined path successive pairs of sheets, such as pairs of veneer sheets, arranged in side by side relation and a joining strip joined to each pair of sheets for connecting the same together and extending from one pair of sheets to the next pair of sheets, in combination, first transport roll means for transporting the sheets and strip along said path, said first transport roll means pulling the strip from a supply roll or the like and pressing this strip against a pair of sheets transported by said first roll means; second transport roll means located behind said first roll means along said path for continuing the transportation of the sheets and strip along said path beyond said first roll means; third transport roll means located behind said second roll means along said path for transporting the sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means; and means cooperating with said first, second, and third roll means for automatically interrupting the transportation of a pair of sheets and the strip along said path when the trailing edge of said pair of sheets engages said second roll means and until the leading edge of the succeeding pair of sheets engages said first roll means, so that the distance between said first and second roll means along said path determines the distance between successive pairs of sheets and the length of said strip extending between successive pairs of sheets.

4. In a machine for transporting along a predetermined path successive pairs of sheets, such as pairs of veneer sheets, arranged in side by side relation and a joining strip joined to each pair of sheets for connecting the same together and extending from one pair of sheets to the next pair of sheets, in combination, first transport roll means for transporting the sheets and strip along said path; second transport roll means located behind said first roll means along said path for continuing the transportation of the sheets and strip along said path beyond said first roll means; third transport roll means located behind said second roll means along said path for transporting the sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means; means cooperating with said first, second, and third roll means for automatically interrupting the transportation of a pair of sheets and the strip along said path when the trailing edge of said pair of sheets engages sald sec ond roll means and until the leading edge of the succeeding pair of sheets engages said first roll means, so that the distance between said first and second roll means along said path determines the distance between successive pairs of sheets and the length of said strip extending between successive pairs of sheets; and cutting means located along said path between said second and third roll means for transversely cutting the strip in the space between successive pairs of sheets to separate successive pairs of sheets from each other.

5. In a machine for transporting along a predetermined path successive pairs of sheets, such as pairs of veneer sheets, arranged in side by side relation and a joining strip joined to each pair of sheets for connecting the same together and extending from one pair of sheets to the next pair of sheets, in combination, first transport roll means for transporting the sheets and strip along said path; second transport roll means located behind said first roll means along said path for continuing the (transportation .of the sheets and strip along said path beyond said vfirst roll means; third transport roll means located behind said second roll means along said path for transporting the sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means; conveyor means spaced slightly from said first and second roll means for cooperating therewithto transport a pair of sheets and a strip only when .a pair of :sheets and a strip are located between said conveyor means and said first and second roll means, so that said first and second roll means will not transport a pair of sheets and a strip beyond said second roll means; drive means extending from said first roll means .to said third roll means for transmitting a drive from said first roll means to said third roll means so that said third roll means operates to transport a pair of strips and a sheet only when said conveyor means and first roll means cooperate together to transport a pair of sheets and a strip, whereby the transportation of a pair of sheets and a strip along said path will be interrupted when the trailing edge of the latter pair of sheets engages said second roll means and will be resumed when the leading edge of the next pair of sheets engages said first roll means, so that the distance along said path between said first and second roll means determines the distance between successive pairs of sheets and the length of the strip extending between successive pairs of sheets; and cutting means located along said path between said second and third transport roll means for cutting across the strip in the space between successive pairs of sheets to separate the successive pairs of sheets from each other.

6. In a machine for transporting along a predetermined path successive pairs of sheets, such as pairs of veneer sheets, arranged in side by side relation and a joining strip joined to each pair of sheets for connecting the same together and extending from one pair of sheets to the next pair of sheets, in combination, first transport roll means for transporting the sheets and strip along said path; second transport roll means located behind said first roll means along said path for continuing the transportation of the sheets and strip along said path beyond said first roll means; third transport roll means located behind said second roll means along said path for transporting the sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means, said third transport roll means having a peripheral speed greater than that of said first and second transport roll means so as to maintain the strip taut in the space between successive pairs of sheets; and means cooperating with said first, second, and third roll means for automatically interrupting the transportation of a pair of sheets and the strip along said path when the trailing edge of said pair of sheets engages said second roll means and until the leading edge of the succeeding pair of sheets engages said first roll means, so that the distance between said first and second roll means along said path determines the distance between successive pairs of sheets and the length of said strip extending between successive pairs of sheets.

7. In a machine for transporting along a predetermined path successive pairs of sheets, such as pairs of veneer sheets, arranged in side by side relation and a joining strip joined to each pair of sheets for connecting the same together and extending from one pair of sheets to the next pair of sheets, in combination, first transport roll means for transporting the sheets and strip along said path; second transport roll means located behind said first roll means along said path for continuing the transportation of the sheets and strip along said path beyond said first roll means; third transport roll means located behind said second roll means along said path for transporting the sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means; conveyor means spaced slightly from said first and second roll means and cooperating therewith to transport a pair of sheets and a strip only when a pair of sheets and a strip are located between said conveyor means and said first and second roll means, so that said conveyor means and first and second roll means will not transport a pair of sheets and a strip beyond said second roll means; and drive means extending between said first roll means and third roll means for transmitting a drive from said first roll means to said .third .roll means and for rotating said third roll means at a peripheral speed greater than that of said firstand second roll means .so as to maintain the strip taut between successive pairs of .sheets, whereby when the trailing edge of the pair of sheets engages said second roll means the transportation of the pair of sheets will vbe interrupted :until the leading edge of the succeeding pair of sheets engages said first roll means, so that the dis- .tance between successive pairs of sheets is determined by the distance between .said first'and second ro'llmeans, and the length :of said 'strip extending between successive pairs of sheetsis also determined by the distance between said first and second roll means.

8. In a machine for transporting along a predetermined path successive pairs of sheets, such as pairs of veneer sheets, arranged in side by side relation and a joining strip joined to each pair of sheets for connectin the same together and extending from one pair of sheets to the next pair of sheets, in combination, first transport roll means for transporting the sheets and strip along said path; second transport roll means located behind said first roll means along said path for continuing the transportation of the sheets and strip along said path beyond said first roll means; third transport roll means located behind said second roll means along said path for transporting the sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means; means cooperating with said first, second, and third roll means for automatically interrupting the transportation of a pair of sheets and the strip along said path when the trailing edge of said pair of sheets engages said second roll means and until the leading edge of the succeeding pair of sheets engages said first roll means, so that the distance between said first and second roll means along said path determines the distance between successive pairs of sheets and the length of said strip extending between successive pairs of sheets; and cutting means located along said path closely adjacent to said third roll means between the latter and said second roll means for automatically cutting transversely across said strip in the space between successive pairs of sheets in order to separate the successive pairs of sheets from each other.

9. In a machine for transporting alon a predetermined path successive pairs of sheets, such as pairs of veneer sheets, arranged in side by side relation and a joining strip joined to each pair of sheets for connecting the same together and extending from one pair of sheets to the next pair of sheets, in combination, first transport roll means for transporting the sheets and strip along said path; second transport roll means located behind said first roll means along said path for continuing the transportation of the sheets and strip along said path beyond said first roll means; third transport means located behind said second roll means along said path for transportin the sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means; conveyor chain means spaced slightly from said first and second roll means for cooperating therewith to transport a pair of sheets and a strip along said path only when the pair of sheets and strip are located between said chain means and said first and second roll means, so that said chain means and said first and second roll means will not transport a pair of sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means; and drive means extending between and alternatively connected to said first and third roll means for transmitting a drive from said first roll means to said third roll means, whereby when the trailing edge of a pair of sheets engages said second roll means the transportation of the latter pair of sheets will be interrupted until the leading edge of the next pair of sheets engages said first roll means, so that the distance between suceessive pairs of sheets and the length of the strip between successive pairs of sheets are determined by the distance ported first transport roll means for transporting the 10 sheets and strip along said path; second transport roll means located behind said first roll means along said path for continuing the transportation of the sheets and strip along said path beyond said first roll means; third transport roll means located behind said second roll means 15 along said path for transporting the sheets and the strip beyond said second roll means; and means cooperating with said first, second, and third roll means for automatically interrupting the transportation of a pair of sheets and the strip along said path when the trailing edge of said pair of sheets engages said second roll means and until the leading edge of the succeeding pair of sheets engages said first roll means, so that the distance between said first and second roll means along said path determines the distance between successive pairs of sheets and the length of said strip extending between successive pairs of sheets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,010,846 Black Dec. 5, 1911 1,126,292 Runne Jan. 26, 1915 1,805,907 Dennis May 19, 1931 2,616,501 Smith Nov. 4, 1952 

